ASUS Chromebook Flip review

The primo Chromebook is a concept that has existed for nearly as long as Google’s notepad brand name itself, and it’s a concept that has hardly ever discovered the legs to prosper. We might take all the time to review exactly what failed in the past; however, in today, the Asus Chromebook Flip is the response you have been waiting to calm your high-end Chromebook-ing requirements.

Precisely what makes this that far more excellent is that this laptop computer boasts a 360-degree hinge that lets it “flip” ultimately, for this reason, its name. At 12.5 inches and 2.6 pounds, the Asus Chromebook Flip isn’t merely ‘great for a Chromebook,’ it might extremely well be the very best laptop computer you can purchase this year. That’s for you to choose.

Design

Like the initial Asus Chromebook C100 before it, the C302 developed from an all-aluminum chassis, however, this time it has an anodized surface instead of a brushed texture. In general, it has a tidy, no rubbish visual and it folds to an almost in proportion piece of metal.

Fortunately, the initial Chromebook C100’s long, bar-shaped hinge has been dropped for the ZenBook Flip UX360’s multi-gear, metal system. The smaller sized, two-piece system makes this maker seem like less of a toy while assisting it to mix in with a regular notepad.

In general, the Asus Chromebook C302 feels and looks like other unibody laptop computer influenced by the MacBook Pro in the previous ten years. Its rounded corners, straight edges and 0.9-inch (2.29 cm) thin frame all include up to a sleek style measuring up to HP and Google’s most exceptional designs at a much lower cost.

Weighing in at 2.6 pounds (1.19 kg), the C302 is among the lightest Chromebooks, vanquishing the 2.86-pound (1.3 kilograms) HP Chromebook 13. It’s likewise among the very first convertible Chrome OS devices you’ll, in fact, wish to utilize in tablet mode, unlike the 3.3-pound (1.5 kg) Acer Chromebook R13.

Aside from being lighter, the C302 appears to have mainly created for tablet usage. Asus has created a smart magnetic clasp that pulls the screen cover tight versus the underside of the notepad. It’s an innovative addition that assists the 2-in-1 Chromebook seems like one big gadget instead of a collapsible electronic, and we’re amazed this option hasn’t come quicker.

It falls back on a big keyboard that makes it as comfy and familiar as any standard laptop computer when you’re not utilizing the C302 as a tablet. The secrets provide a rewarding 1.4 mm of crisp essential travel that we’ve missed out on in a world of ever-slimmer notepads.

When it comes to the trackpad, we can just state it exists. It provides precise tracking, however with no multitouch functions yet two-finger scrolling, there’s entirely nothing notable about it.

Android apps on tap

Having a functional tablet mode is ending up being ever more typical in Chrome OS gadgets as Google has progressively increased the platform’s Android combination. The C302 does not come with access to the Play Store right out of the box, and we had to change over onto Chrome OS beta channel to download apps.

Besides that little misstep, the hybrid Chromebook is entirely geared up to drive right into the Android environment. We tapped and swiped into our preferred apps just as we would on any Google tablet. To our surprise, the hybrid Chromebook is likewise equipped with gyroscopes, permitting us to play motion-controlled video games like Asphalt 8.

Not whatever about running Android apps is best. Slack and lots of other essential apps we usually utilize on a smart device do not efficiently scale on Chromebooks, leaving us with small text on particular apps, and the Kindle app isn’t able to show the full screen in picture orientation.

Mobile apps likewise are developed with a touchscreen user interface in mind, and often this does not play well with the touchpad and keyboard setup of the C302. Naturally, it’s simple enough to change the hybrid to tablet mode.

We chalk these problems to the beta variation of Chrome OS, which repaired some issues and presented brand-new ones throughout our evaluation.

And, in spite of these issues, we never wish to return to the days of checking out the beleaguered Chrome Web Store filled with knockoff apps and video games. It’s just in beta, having access to the Play Store grants us access to so lots of more beneficial programs.

We like utilizing Android apps in tablet mode just as much as taking a seat with the C302 as a popular Chromebook for long surfing and composing sessions. The hybridization of Google’s two platforms likewise lastly lets us utilize mobile apps along with the essential aspects of Chrome OS.

Efficiency

Intel Core M-series processors appear like the best part of power Chromebooks, as they use more energy than your typical Celeron chip while being efficient. Which’s not merely us stating that: the benchmark outcomes back us up here.

The C302, with its Core m3 processor, carries out almost two times as quickly as the Dell Chromebook 13 with a Celeron processor. That stated, this hybrid does not rather have the enthusiasm to stay up to date with the Intel Core i5-powered Acer Chromebook 14 for Work or the Core m5 chip inside HP Chromebook 13, though it’s just a quarter less power.

Numbers aside, the 2-in-1 Chromebook carries out very well even with two open Chrome windows with 12 open tabs each. In addition to our extensive surfing practices, we likewise had Google Music playing in the background and the Slack Android app open.

Optimum efficiency

Chromebooks are famous for their long battery life, and the C302 is among the very best examples of why. It’s the longest-lasting premium Chromebook we’ve checked yet that ran for 10 hours and 46 minutes on our basic regional film playback test.

By contrast, the Acer Chromebook 14 ended its run an hour and 10 minutes previously, and the HP Chromebook 13 just handled to last for merely a minute over 8 hours.

With our routine daily work, the C302 ran merely shy of striking the eight-hour, all-day battery life mark. Any mix of running fewer jobs, turning off the keyboard backlight or reducing the screen might significantly increase use time on this maker.

Screen and speakers

The Asus Chromebook Flip C302 just rocks a 1,920 x 1,080 display screen, FHD is genuinely all you require on a 12.5-inch screen. It’s not as sharp as the QHD HP Chromebook 13. However, the lower pixel count manages two more hours of battery life– a trade-off we would happily take.

Pictures and text look plenty crisp as is, and the C302 fixes intense colors, which is precisely what we’re searching for in a buddy gadget to browse e-comics and stream videos. Typical contrast levels– dark pixels typically falling off to deep blacks– is the just powerlessness of the screen. However it’s still much better than a lot of Chromebooks, and we choose this to see muddy grays.

Audio-wise, the Chromebook Flip’s speakers are loud, however, do not have much subtlety to truly value music. There’s likewise a minor tip of tininess that restricts how high you can set the volume before it’s excruciating, so plug in a set of earphones if you’re planning to rock out.

Final Verdict

If you’ve been on the fence about purchasing a premium Chromebook, this one has 100 factors to make you leap for it. It isn’t a substantial cost distinction; the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 increases to its premium stature with a stunning screen and a much better keyboard than you would discover on some Ultrabooks.

This is the very first Chromebook that feels as comfy to utilize as a tablet as it is a standard laptop computer. While the Samsung Chromebook Pro almost renders this design moot with a sharper screen and integrated stylus, we have yet to see how it carries out. In the meantime, the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is king of the Chrome OS hill, and it’s well worth your utmost attention.

At 12.5 inches and 2.6 pounds, the Asus Chromebook Flip isn’t merely ‘great for a Chromebook,’ it might well be the finest laptop computer you can purchase this year. It’s an innovative addition that assists the 2-in-1 Chromebook to feel like one big gadget rather than a collapsible electronic, and we’re amazed this option hasn’t come earlier.

To our surprise, the hybrid Chromebook is likewise equipped with gyroscopes, enabling us to play motion-controlled video games like Asphalt 8.

While the Samsung Chromebook Pro almost renders this design moot with a sharper screen and integrated stylus, we have yet to see how it carries out. For now, the Asus Chromebook Flip C302 is king of the Chrome OS hill, and it’s well worth your utmost attention.